This Sunday we will unpack the importance of compassion. There are multiple passages that speak to Jesus's compassion, but we will specifically focus on how Jesus dealt with the woman caught in the act of adultery. The incredible part of the story is how Jesus deals with this woman's dreadful situation and with her sin all at the same time. What we will discover is that Jesus has left us an example of what true compassion looks like.
It has been asked, "If the church were to close tomorrow, would anyone in the community even notice?" It's a question about significance. We want the answer to be a resounding "Yes" as we think about the community in which God has placed us. We see in the Book of Acts that the church played a valuable role in the community and that its impact on the community had eternal consequences. In the same way, we want community focus to be at the core of who we are as a church.
A few weeks ago we unpacked the connection between Evangelism and Discipleship focusing heavily on the evangelistic side of the coin. This Sunday we will uncover the sanctification benefit of discipleship by looking at some of the essential pieces of discipleship that we see in Acts 2:42. In this passage we are told, "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." This Sunday we will spend some time learning how important the Word, Fellowship, Communion and Prayer really are to building one another up in the Lord.
It's often been said that the two worst inventions when it comes to building relationships with our neighbors have been Air Conditioning and Garage Doors. It is all too easy to avoid cultivating relationships with those in our community. This Sunday we will spend some time in John 4 and discover how we can begin to build relationships with those who live right in our community.
The story in John 2 has baffled and caused readers to scratch their heads over why Jesus would choose to turn water into wine as His first miracle. It seems like a strange choice, until we begin to realize the dilemma and potential embarrassment of this newlywed couple. Jesus cared about this couple so much that He was willing to serve in a way that no one else could. He met a very real need in this couple's time of trouble. In the same way, we are called to serve one another and our community. This Sunday we will unpack why service should be at the core of who we are as a church.
Jesus says to us, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." It's a familiar passage. A familiar command. We know it. We've read it. But how do we make this happen? This Sunday we will look at some key components that we will need to put reaching the lost at the core of who we are.
Prayer is a mysterious thing. When I step back and think about all the forms of "communication" that God could have chosen to connect with us, prayer is the most curious to me. Why not email? Why not Facetime? Why not video chat? But as curious and mysterious as prayer may seem to us at times, it is a wonderful and mysterious exercise in faith that can connect us deeply and spiritually to the Lord in ways that other forms of communication never could. So join us Sunday as we discover why prayer is and should be at the core of MC3 Church.
Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be highlighting these values that are a part of our DNA as a church. This Sunday we will unpack how we value the Bible, God's Holy Word. Our desire is to see everyone draw closer to the Lord by reading and studying His Word.